Alqosh - Alqosh Under Attack

Alqosh Under Attack

Since Alqosh housed the abbey of Rabban Hirmizd which was used as the Seat for several patriarchs of the Chaldean Church it attracted the attention of several Muslim governors of its surrounding areas. In 1743 Alqush became a victim to the destructive acts of the Persian sovereign Nader Shah.

According to the testimony written in a letter by the Priest Habash Bin Jomaa from 1746, he describes; "... first they attacked Karamles and stole its peoples valuables and kidnapped many of its children and women. They then did the same to the inhabitants of Bartella they killed many of her men, stole their valuables, and also kidnapped its children and women. They did the same to the people of Tel Keppe and Alqush, however, many of those two neighboring villages took refuge at the Monastery of Rabban Hirmizd. There they were surrounded by the soldiers of Nader Shah who attacked them like a pack of hungry wolves attacking helpless sheep. There they committed horrendous crimes that I just don't have the stomach to describe!"

In 1828, Alqush was attacked by the army of Mosa Pasha, the governor of Amadeya, who was instigated by some of his Muslim subjects to attack the Rabban Hirmizd Monastery which he did. His army arrested and imprisoned several monks and priests and caused tremendous damage to the monastery.

In 1832, Alqush was attacked again by the Kurdish Governor of Rowanduz, nicknamed "Merkor" whose hatred for Christians and Assyrians is well known. He killed over 400 of its inhabitants. Merkor attacked Alqosh again on 15 March 1833 and killed another 172 of its men, not counting children, women, and strangers (according to church records).

In 1840, Alqush was once again attacked by the brother of Merkor, Rasoul Beg, who surrounded it for several months after which he put on fire the Rabban Hirmizd Monastery and stole over 500 of its valuable books.